Aquaman #16Review

With the meticulous piece-moving of Throne of Atlantis’s third chapter done with, the fourth installment of this Justice League/Aquaman crossover executes its master stroke. Geoff Johns has been sowing seeds of this story since Aquaman #1, so it feels good to see them all blossom into one epic plot twist. If you’re looking for the feel-good superhero storytelling that earned Johns his name, then get ready for a tidal wave of it.

The standout scene of the book comes when Cyborg undergoes a surgery to breathe underwater and we see a bittersweet moment inside his head. Although, I couldn’t help but wonder why he needed his only remaining organic lung removed in order to breathe underwater when we see the 100% human Batman survive perfectly well in a pressurized suit. If his suit can come up with laser cannons and video screens, then surely it has a scuba mode. But it matters not, as sacrificing his humanity to save the day has effectively stolen the spotlight from Aquaman in his own event.

Keeping this title looking on par with Ivan Reis’s Justice League pencils is Paul Pelletier. The two artists share a similar style, and the cleaner lines of Pelletier’s work makes following potentially convoluted action scenes a breeze. The last page has excellent composition with its many visual aids, yet for all the compliments I’ve given, I have to complain that the featured character lacks a certain oomph to sell the moment. Still, with the crazy plot twists and slick art, it looks like Throne of Atlantis has regained its footing and is poised for a strong conclusion in Justice League #16.

Joshua writes for IGN. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl or on IGN, where he’ll tell you more than you ever wanted to know about Green Lantern, Darth Maul, and Pokemon.

Great

Throne of Atlantis delivers a strong penultimate chapter that features slick artwork and the spotlight-stealing Cyborg.